by Jake Bible
“On how much ammunition you have,” Dr. Glouster said and smiled. “Because you will need a lot to stop the creature if it doesn’t want to be stopped.”
Wagner began to laugh then saw the look in the doctor’s eyes. He swallowed hard and gave the man a serious nod.
“Fair enough, Doc,” Wagner said. “Good thing I have a lot of ammunition then, isn’t it?”
“Yes,” Dr. Glouster said and nodded. “It is.”
6.
The ferry docked at the Bainbridge Island Ferry Terminal and Ben waited patiently for the attendant to give him the signal that it was his turn to disembark. He nodded at the man, refrained from honking at a Prius that wouldn’t get out of his way, then maneuvered the minivan through the ferry traffic until he was on 305 and heading northwest.
“I don’t get why we had to take the ferry over,” Maggie said from the passenger’s seat, lounging with her feet up on the dash.
She looked perfectly at ease as if they hadn’t spent nearly an hour on a rocking ferry being jostled up and down by the less than calm waters of Puget Sound. Ben wasn’t so at ease. Not usually one to let nausea get to him, the ferry trip and seeing Nick for the first time in a very long time was doing a number on his digestive system.
“Are you okay, babe?” Maggie asked. “You’re looking a little belchy.”
“I’m good,” Ben said then did belch. “Better after that.”
“Why didn’t we just take the Narrows Bridge if we’re going to Port Angeles?” Maggie asked. “This is kind of a weird way to go.”
“We aren’t going to Port Angeles,” Ben said. “I thought I told you that I got a text from Nick that there was a change in plans.”
“No, you did not tell me,” Maggie said. She paused for a couple seconds and Ben was about to look over at her when she said, “What change?”
“We’re meeting at a marina in Hansville,” Ben said.
“Hansville? What the hell is a Hansville?” Maggie asked.
Ben shrugged and shook his head. “Not a clue. Never heard of it until I Googled it. Nick says he has a surprise for us there.”
“Nick and a surprise? Great,” Maggie said. “What could go wrong?”
“I’m hoping nothing,” Ben said. “He has screwed up a lot, but I don’t think he’ll screw this up. We’ve been friends our whole lives and I’m going to give him the benefit of the doubt.”
“You think this new marina has anything to do with why he told me to pack more clothes?” Maggie asked. “You don’t think instead of his family’s cruiser we’re going to be sailing, do you?” She holds up her hands, fingers splayed. “This mani cost me a month’s groceries, Benjamin. I can sail like a pro, but I am not chipping these nails.”
“You can sail like a pro?” Ben asked, giving her a surprised look. “I didn’t know that.”
“Yes, you did,” Maggie said. “After our second date, back at my place? I was talking about how my grandfather taught me to sail and we always went out on the Sound in his sloop on his birthday.”
“Yeah…our second date? When you wore that v-neck cashmere sweater and no bra?” Ben laughed. “You really thought I was paying attention to a story about your grandpa?”
“I had a bra on,” Maggie replied.
“No, you didn’t,” Ben said. “No bra. Trust me.”
Maggie gave him a sly smile. “Okay, maybe I didn’t have a bra on.”
“See? No bra on you means no brains in me,” Ben said. “That’s just the rules of life, Mags.”
She grabbed his leg and gave it a squeeze. Ben jumped a little, causing the minivan to swerve, and someone behind him honked.
“Really?” Ben shouted. “Bite me and go back to California!”
“This better not be a sailboat,” Maggie said. “Even without the issue of my nails, I did not pack for rigging.”
“Nick must have needed to bring the cruiser in for something,” Ben said.
“Something that the marina in Port Angeles couldn’t do?” Maggie asked. “You believe that?”
“No,” Ben said. “But I’m giving him the benefit of the doubt. I thought you would too since you guys are so buddy buddy now.”
“Not buddy buddy,” Maggie said.
The tone in her voice caused Ben to give her a quick look, but her head was turned so he couldn’t see her expression as she looked out at the landscape rushing by.
They drove another twenty minutes then turned onto Hansville Rd. Ben smacked his forehead and grinned as they passed a sign. “Point No Point!” he said. “Duh. I’ve been to Hansville before. Our families used to picnic out here when we were kids. I totally forgot about this place. Haven’t been here in twenty years. I see his game now. He’s going for nostalgia points.”
“This place mean that much to you two?” Maggie asked.
“It was before my mom died of cancer and his parents got divorced,” Ben said. “Things were happy here. God… I can’t believe he remembered.”
They continued on Hansville Rd., passing old tracts of farm land that were interspersed with wooded estates. Mansions and trailers, a true reflection of the modern economic times. They came to a long curve, passing the post office and an old auto repair shop. The Sound was to their right and Maggie stared out at the dark waters, watching the white caps lift and break, over and over.
“Choppy,” she said. “Wind is blowing rough. Look at the flags.”
They passed a small row of businesses, many of them closed for the season. Ben glanced to his right and saw flags whipping about and he frowned. The weather didn’t look promising at all.
“It could change, depending on where we’re headed,” Ben said.
“You don’t know?” Maggie asked.
“You seem to know as much as I do,” Ben said. “Nick kept saying he had a surprise for me.”
“For you or for us?” Maggie asked.
“Me,” Ben said, giving her a sly smile. “But me is us.”
“Is it now?” Maggie smirked. “That’s good to hear.”
Ben kept the minivan aimed down Twin Spits Rd, but didn’t turn left when they came to the sign for Hood Canal Dr. and Coon Bay. Maggie turned in her seat and looked out the back then looked at Ben.
“Isn’t Coon Bay the marina area?” Maggie asked.
“See, you know more than I do,” Ben said and tapped his GPS. “But he gave me an address that’s up this way. Looks like it’s a private dock or something.”
A couple miles and they turned onto Skunk Bay Rd. Maggie gave Ben a look that clearly said she was not liking the omen of that name. After a quarter mile, they turned onto a private drive then stopped as they faced a heavy iron gate. Ben inched up to a key pad and pressed the intercom button.
“Ben Wa Balls!” a static-filled voice shouted from the small box. “Is that you?”
“Hey, Nick Of Time,” Ben said and pointed a finger at Maggie as she started to laugh. “You want to tell me where the hell we are?”
“You are right where you are supposed to be,” Nick said as a loud buzz rang out and the gate began to swing inward. “Just keep going straight and you’ll run right into me.”
“Then don’t stand in the road, dumbass,” Ben replied. “See ya in a sec.”
“Looking forward to it,” Nick replied.
“Don’t say it,” Ben said to Maggie as he drove through the gate.
“Ben Wa Balls?” Maggie laughed. “He actually calls you that?”
“He only called me that to undermine my position with you,” Ben said. “Make me look silly so he looks good in your eyes. He’s nervous about meeting you. In person. I guess you’ve already met via text.”
“Ha ha ha. That’s some deep insight into your friend’s psyche there, Ben Wa Balls,” Maggie said as she continued laughing. “You get a degree in psychology I don’t know about?”
“I know Nick as well as I know myself,” Ben said. “Trust me. He’s going to make you his new best friend so he has an ally in case the two of us fall into old patterns.”
“Old patterns?” Maggie asked. “What kind of old patterns? This isn’t going to be a hookers and blow vacation, is it?”
“Jesus, no,” Ben replied, taking his turn to laugh. “Nick doesn’t have that kind of money anymore. Not after the crap he pulled.”
“Are you sure?” Maggie asked as they came out of the tree-lined drive that turned into a staggering view of a massive estate house. “That has to be thirty thousand square feet at least.”
“It’s not his,” Ben said. “Nick has connections, not money. Whatever he has planned, it is financed by favors given and cashed in. Trust me.” Ben smiled. “There he is.”
Directly in front of them was a small parking area situated in front of a gated dock. In front of that gate was a man with his arms wide open. Nice suit with no tie, slicked back brown hair, and a blindingly white smile, Nick Sheeran walked forward as Ben parked the minivan.
“You are so slumming up this place, dude!” Nick said as Ben hoped out of the van. “You brought a minivan?”
“I own a minivan,” Ben said.
“What happened to the Mustang?” Nick asked as he gave Ben a huge hug.
“I became a grownup, dude,” Ben replied. “You may have heard of it. It’s a natural progression from being a kid.”
“Screw that,” Nick said. “Being a grown up is boring.”
“Really? How would you know?” Ben asked. “Have you tried it?”
Nick’s smile faltered slightly then snapped back in place. “I may have had a taste or two these past few years. Wasn’t to my liking, my friend. Holy shit.” He turned and looked at Maggie as the woman came around the front of the minivan. “Facebook does not do you justice, Miss, uh, Rodriguez? Kimura?”
“Rodriguez-Kimura,” Maggie said. “Mexican and Japanese.”
“No shit,” Nick said. “Those cultures should mix more often if what happens always looks like you.”
“I’m taking that as a compliment,” Maggie said.
“You should,” Nick said and held out his arms. “Come here.” He grabbed her up in a huge hug, nearly lifting her off her feet.
“Yeah, let her go, dude,” Ben said. He looked down the dock and only saw a speedboat. It was a very, very nice speedboat, worth more than the house he’d lost in the divorce, but not exactly the size for an extended weekend trip. “Nick? Something wrong with your family’s cruiser?”
“Huh? What?” Nick asked then turned and looked down the dock. “Oh, that. No, nothing wrong with the rust bucket.”
“Hardly a rust bucket,” Ben said. “The tile in the head cost more than my minivan.”
“Minivan,” Nick chuckled. “Dude.” He gestured to the dock. “No, that is our ride to our ride.”
“Ride to our ride?” Ben asked. “Yeah, we’re out of here.”
“Whoa! Hold the hell on, man!” Nick said. “What are you talking about?”
“I am talking about a boat that looks like it costs close to a hundred thousand dollars that you say is taking us to our actual ride,” Ben said. “Which means the actual ride costs a lot more than that boat there. No way you have access to anything worth that much unless you are pulling a scam.”
“No scam,” Nick said. “I promise. I own that boat and the one we will be staying on the next few days. I’ll show you the papers as soon as we are on board. I promise. Swear on my soul.”
“You don’t own your soul, dude,” Ben said. “You wagered it, and lost it, to Paulo Marquez in 1997, remember?”
“Yeah, I remember,” Nick said. “Wakes me up at night sometimes.”
“You wagered your soul?” Maggie asked. “In a poker game?”
“Poker? Hell no,” Nick said. “Nobody would allow a stupid wager like that at the table. No, I wagered it over a woman.”
“Of course you did,” Maggie said. “And I’m sure it’s a great story, but my nipples are about to freeze off. Can we grab our bags and get going?”
“My bad!” Nick laughed. “Five minutes and I’m already a shitty host. Sorry. I’ll grab a cart.”
He hurried over to a small shed by the dock gate and yanked the door open. With cart in hand, and whistling a tune that sounded like a mash-up of Sweet Caroline and 99 Problems, Nick wheeled the cart to the back of the minivan and pulled open the hatch. He loaded up the bags, shut the hatch and then bowed low.
“What do you have in your suitcase?” Nick laughed as he smiled at Maggie. “Pretty sure lingerie isn’t that heavy.”
“Pretty sure what’s in my suitcase isn’t your business,” Maggie said, smiling back.
“Saucy,” Nick said.
“Where should I move the van?” Ben asked.
“Leave the keys,” Nick said. “I have a guy coming to move your car. Uh, I mean,minivan.” He snickered. “We won’t be coming back here. I’ll drop you guys off closer to Olympia. When we get back.”
“You know I have alarm bells going off, right?” Ben said, offering to take the cart but being refused as Nick slapped his hand away.
“Oh, I know, brother,” Nick said. “You gotta learn to trust more.”
He started whistling again, rolled the cart to the gate, punched in a code, and pushed the gate open.
“I have to learn to trust more,” Ben said to Maggie. She didn’t respond, her eyes studying the speedboat. “Hello?”
“Huh? Sorry,” Maggie said. “It’s a nice boat.”
“I bet the one we’re staying on is a million times nicer,” Ben said. “Literally. Nick may not have much of his own money, but the man has a knack for getting others to let him use theirs.”
“He said he owned the boat,” Maggie said.
“Nick says a lot of things,” Ben replied then gestured and bowed. “After you.”
Maggie gave him a playful look then walked through the gate and onto the dock where Nick was waiting for them. Ben gave Nick a wary eye as they passed. The man, following right behind with the luggage-laden cart, just smiled and kept on whistling.
7.
“Tank is secure, sir,” a man said as he stepped onto the bridge. “No sign of the creature, though. Should we be worried?”
“Should we, Doc?” Wagner asked Dr. Glouster. “You said it was naturally shy, but you’d think we’d have a glimpse by now.” Wagner scratched at his chin. “Please tell me I didn’t kill a ship full of people over a diversion.”
“The creature is in the tank,” Dr. Glouster said. “I will be happy to show you, if you’d like.”
“By show me, you mean you’ll coax it out into the open?” Wagner laughed. “Not shove me in the tank so the thing eats me, right? Because that’s not how I plan on going out.”
“Do any of us get to plan our leaving this world?” Dr. Glouster asked.
“More than you think,” Wagner said. “Come on, Doc. Time to see proof of purchase.”
Dr. Glouster gave the man a strained smile and nodded.
It took them a long while to navigate down the decks, through the passageways, and past the crew, the majority of which were heavily armed, before they came to a door that was certainly unlike the others.
“It looks like a vault,” Dr. Glouster said.
“It is a vault,” Wagner responded. “This ship was originally designed by the US government to transport important, sensitive cargo. NCDC gave it a few upgrades and offered it to me to use if needed. I figured this was the perfect op for it.”
“NCDC?” Dr. Glouster asked.
“What? Oh, yes, my employers,” Wagner said as he keyed in a code and then spun the huge wheel in the center of the vault door. “I didn’t mention that?”
“New Century Defense Corp?” Dr. Glouster asked. “I should have known Agnes was behind this.”
“Agnes? Huh, sounds like you have history with NCDC’s CEO,” Wagner said as he pulled the door open. “Step back, Doc. This door is heavy and I’d hate for you to stub your toe.”
A ring of armed men circled the massive tank that filled the vault almost to the walls on ea
ch side. Dr. Glouster looked up and was not surprised to see a barred hatch in the ceiling where they had lowered the tank through. He studied the walls of the vault, noticing the complete and total lack of seams, vents, or any signs of how the space was put together.
“A single, solid piece of metal,” Wagner said before Dr. Glouster could ask. “Micro holes are everywhere for ventilation. Power is through surface conduction. No conduits.”
“Then how did you plug in the tank?” Dr. Glouster asked.
“Oh, I had the adapters ready for months, Doc,” Wagner said. “Getting information on the creature wasn’t easy, but finding out the schematics to the tank was. It’s why I jumped ship.” He laughed at his own pun. “OAS is sloppy. NCDC is not. The team that designed this vault stopped breathing the second they said the job was done.”
“You have no problem with murder, do you?” Dr. Glouster asked. “All of the needless death and blood? For what? Profit?”
“You’re getting boring, Doc,” Wagner said. “How about you knock off the holier than thou crap and show me the goods?”
Dr. Glouster began to respond then shook his head and stepped towards the tank. One of the guards handed him a tablet and Dr. Glouster looked surprised then swiped the screen to see a familiar interface.
“I see you had no problem recreating the software interface,” Dr. Glouster said.
“Like I said, Doc, OAS is sloppy,” Wagner said and shrugged. “I copied your tablet exactly. Except for the tracking software embedded. That I left off so OAS can’t find us. Otherwise, that tablet is basically the same as the one I made you leave behind.”
Dr. Glouster studied the tablet for a minute and made sure it was the exact interface he needed. As far as he could tell, it was a perfect duplicate of the one he had used on the old ship.
He tapped at the screen a few times and the water darkened considerably.
“That doesn’t make it easier to see, Doc,” Wagner warned. “You’re getting more boring.”
“I have made it so the inside of the tank is reflective and no longer showing us out here,” Dr. Glouster said. “I have also darkened the interior since the creature prefers to be more active in the evenings. It is a natural state for its species.”
